New Beginnings
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: Blind!Lucius. The unthinkable happens.


**Title:** New Beginnings  
 **Rating:** T  
 **Pairing(s)/Character(s):** Lucius/Narcissa  
 **Warnings:** None  
 **Disclaimer:** Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.  
 **Word Count:** 1,313  
 **Summary:** Blind!Lucius. The unthinkable happens.

 **Notes:**

 **Year** **Long Scavenger Hunt:** D27. Write about an explosion in one of the Hogwarts common rooms that injures people

 **Through the Year Challenge:** **Prompt –** new beginnings. **Character** **–** Lucius Malfoy

 **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: **Writing Club - World Braille Day - Write about a blind character.

 **The Ultimate Patronus Quest Challenge:** Special Class H: Magical and Mystica Creatures – 10. Hippogriff: Write about someone escaping death

* * *

Afterwards, no one would know what actually happened. One minute, everything was quiet. There were huddled Slytherins all around the common room. Most of them were studying or talking quietly with their friends, while there were some that were playing chess or Exploding Snap.

But then, out of nowhere, there was a loud noise. An explosion. There were screams of terror and panic as no one knew what happened. The door opened and Professor Slughorn came running into the smoke filled room.

"Is everyone okay?" he bellowed.

He got no reply as students ran around as if their heads had been cut off.

Slughorn pointed his wand at his throat and muttered the charm that would amplify his voice. "Quiet!"

Finally, the Slytherins stopped all movement as they gathered their wits and remembered they were proper Pure-bloods. They should act like it.

Slughorn took his wand away from his throat and still in a loud voice—although no longer magically amplified—he asked, "Is anyone hurt?"

There were some bruises and banged heads. The bruises weren't a big deal, but Slughorn separated the ones with banged heads from the rest of the students. They should get checked over to make sure there weren't any concussions.

"Anyone else hurt?" Slughorn asked.

A tall blond Slytherin stood up on shaking legs. For once, Lucius Malfoy looked anything but the self-assured Pure-blood. He looked terrified. "I can't see," he muttered in the dead silence of the room.

Whispers spread throughout the common room. The Malfoy Heir couldn't see? How could that be? What would happen to him if it was permanent? Everyone knew how strict Abraxas Malfoy was, and he liked to be seen as having the best of everything. If Lucius was blind, Abraxas would see him as damaged. No longer the best. Then what would become of him?

Slughorn quickly walked over to him. "Come with my, Mr. Malfoy. Madam Pomfrey will look you over." He didn't placate with any false promises that all would be fine.

Despite his fear, Lucius appreciated Slughorn's attempt to not give him any false hope.

An hour later, Lucius was forced to stay in bed even though Pomfrey was done with her tests. "Well?" he impatiently asked.

He might not be able to see her, but he could practically _hear_ the sad look in her eyes when she answered, "Well, Mr. Malfoy, you're lucky to be alive. Whatever that explosion came from, you were close to it. You're lucky it was only your eyesight you lost."

"Are you telling me it's permanent?" he asked raggedly. He already missed the light and seeing everything around him. How could he live like this for the rest of his life? How could he take the Dark Mark, follow in his father's footsteps? The simple answer was he wouldn't be able to. You can't attack people, cast spells on them, _duel_ them, if you can't see them.

He wasn't even sure he would be able to perform elementary magic without being able to see a target to focus on it. His whole life was falling apart, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Mr. Malfoy, your eyes were damaged. There isn't anything magically that I can do. I know there are Muggle surgeries that are sometimes done, but—"

"I won't do it," Lucius interrupted.

"I didn't think you would. Not even the possibility of seeing again is enough to overcome your prejudices. I was going to say, anyways, that there's no guarantee it would work as there are plenty of blind Muggles out in the world. The only thing you can do is learn to live your life with these new limitations."

Lucius felt himself closing his eyes, even if there was no difference. He held back the tears that wanted to fall. Malfoys didn't show their emotions. "Live my life with my new limitations? What happens if one of those limitations includes being disowned for not being the perfect Malfoy anymore?"

There was silence for a moment, and Lucius thought Madam Pomfrey might actually be at a loss for words. That would have to be a first in Hogwarts history. And that was when he heard it. Quiet footsteps. Much too light to belong the Pomfrey.

"Miss Black, I would say I'm surprised to see you, but that would be a lie."

"I wasn't sure if he was allowed visitors."

And that was the sweet voice Lucius recognized so easily. Narcissa Black. She was meant to be his bride after they both graduated from Hogwarts. They developed feelings for each other, something both of their families were happy with, and they were in the middle of finalizing a marriage contract. A contract that would soon be incinerated most likely.

Lucius took a calming breath. Not only did he lose his sight, but he also loss his possibility of happiness. Of love. _Real_ love.

"Miss Black, normally, I would say the patient needs to rest and not be disturbed, but I think you just might be what the medi-witch ordered."

With that, Lucius heard more footsteps, this time fading away. "Narcissa, you should leave."

The bed shifted with added weigh. "Do you think you can order me around and I'll just listen? Surely you know me better than that."

"Narcissa, you know the arrangements for us to be married will soon be null and void. Just as soon as my father is notified of my situation. There's no reason for you to be here."

He did his best to keep his voice even, but there was still a wobble to it, and he wouldn't be surprised if Narcissa caught it.

A smaller hand rested on top of his prone hand. "You say there's no reason for me to be here? I think you're forgetting the fact that I care about you. The reason the contract was started in the first place was because we fell in love. And that hasn't changed."

Lucius wished he could see her beautiful and delicate face. He would give anything to be able to be mesmerized by her beauty once again. "We won't be allowed to marry."

"Let me handle them," Narcissa voiced resolutely.

"I'm blind. _Forever_."

"And?" He knew her so well that he could actually hear the arch of her eyebrows in her voice.

"And I may no longer be a Malfoy."

"So?"

"Things won't be easy, especially if you choose to defy your parents."

"Andromeda did," Narcissa answered.

"And look what happened to her. You deserve better," Lucius argued.

Narcissa sighed. "Lucius, I love you. Before, I didn't understand how Andromeda could walk away from her family and everything she knew, but if she loves Ted half as much as I love you, I can understand it. I won't give you up, even if it means I join Andromeda and Sirius and have my name blasted off of the tapestry. You're worth it to me, and there's nothing you can say that will change my mind."

Even as he turned his palm face up so he could grab her hand, he muttered, "You're stubborn."

"And you love me for it," she returned cheekily.

"It won't be easy," he once again warned.

"I don't care," she replied evenly. "Blind or not, I love you, and I'm not going anywhere." The bed shifted some more, and Narcissa dropped his hand. Then he felt Narcissa resting her head on Lucius's chest.

He wrapped his arm around her and held her close. He couldn't see her, but at least he could inhale her heavenly scent. "To new beginnings," he muttered.

"To new beginnings," she echoed.

He knew it wasn't going to be easy. He had no idea what was in store for him. His once planned-out future was in chaos with the new development, but with Narcissa at his side, he would figure it out.


End file.
